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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27246910">Wonder Wheel</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylphidine_Gallimaufry/pseuds/Sylphidine_Gallimaufry'>Sylphidine_Gallimaufry</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tales of Nightmare Dork University [16]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Guardians of Childhood &amp; Related Fandoms, Nightmare Dork University - Fandom, Rise of the Guardians (2012)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, NDU Purradox - Freeform, NDU Tarminator - Freeform, Nightmare Dork University (Fanverse), Platonic Cuddling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:47:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>717</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27246910</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylphidine_Gallimaufry/pseuds/Sylphidine_Gallimaufry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pitch actually does something sensible for a change, giving himself some downtime. At least two of his flatmates approve. Set in the <a href="https://felinefables.dreamwidth.org/8179.html">Extra Roomie</a> AU of Nightmare Dork University, which is in and of itself an AU of the movie RISE OF THE GUARDIANS and the book series The Guardians of Childhood by William Joyce.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tales of Nightmare Dork University [16]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/577933</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wonder Wheel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/KS_Claw/gifts">KS_Claw</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Originally appeared on Tumblr at <a href="https://sylphidine.tumblr.com/post/633165712419160064/ndu-wonder-wheel">https://sylphidine.tumblr.com/post/633165712419160064/ndu-wonder-wheel</a>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Nothing ever changes in Pinaro’s classes, I swear. I mean, I know ancient art is ancient art.  It’s not like I’m going to get to hop into a time machine and see frescoes being created from scratch. But there’s still research going on, explorations and expeditions happening all over the world.  Why she’s got to restrict the syllabus to the same old boring Greeks and Romans in a third year class boggles the mind." <b><br/>
</b></p><p>"That’s why I keep telling you to audit one of Dr. Tushir’s courses. She doesn’t just cover military history.   She throws all those dates and battles into context with what the people were doing in the middle of it all, whether it’s Hawai’i or Parthia or Stuart England. I never expected to learn about jewelry in a history class.”</p><p>She made a goofy face at him and said, “Admit it. You want me to draw your pug in battle armor.”</p><p>“Well, yeah. That was kind of the point of this whole ‘bribe you with lasagna’ plan.”</p><p>Ebony juggled the keys in one hand and the handles of four grocery bags in the other.  Behind her, Pitchiner was loaded down with another four bags. Before she could unlock the apartment door,  it opened, with Jack Sickle standing there. He put a finger to his lips and murmured, “Ssssh… Pitch’s asleep.  We… we just got back fr-from the library.” Ebony and Pitchiner exchanged worried looks as they followed Jack in.</p><p>The kitchen was empty and devoid of hipster creepers, which was a definite blessing.  It was a surprise not to see Purradox strolling in to supervise the unloading of their haul, and to not have Tarminator dancing at their feet. Without being asked, Jack helped Pitchiner put pasta boxes and sauce jars on shelves, and Ebony wrestled the fresh produce into the crispers in the fridge. </p><p>“Wanna stay for dinner, Jackie? Lasagna night and all.”</p><p>Jack blushed and muttered, “Can’t. I have to… I have to meet Piki downtown at th-the-the coffeehouse… there’s a p-p-p-poetry reading he wants us to.. to hear.”</p><p>“Your loss, man.” Pitchiner rolled his eyes at Ebony, who put her hand on the freshman’s besweatered arm and said, “Well, try to have a good time.”  Jack flashed her a grateful look as he headed out.</p><p>After the door closed, Pitchiner said, “So. Can you go check on Sleeping Beauty while I start working on the sauce?”</p><p>Ebony was already heading out of the kitchen and down the hall, commenting, “I hope he doesn’t have one of his headaches.”</p><p>The meat was browned, the veg was chopped, and everything was nestled together in the crockpot along with some tomato paste and red wine, when Pitchiner looked up at the clock and noticed that half an hour had gone by without a peep from either Ebony or Pitch.  Figuring his lasagna sauce could simmer along without him, he made his way towards his bedroom and the crosslegged figure sitting in the hallway.</p><p>She raised a finger to her lips and whispered, “Go see. It’s the most adorable thing ever.”</p><p>Pitchiner leaned around Ebony and stuck his head in the open doorway.  He grinned hugely and whispered back in an atrocious Irish accent, “Sure and begorrah and all the saints, ‘t’is truly a miracle to behold!”</p><p>In the dead center of Pitchiner’s king-size bed, Pitch lay sleeping, curled up like a shrimp.  In the curve of his body, up against his chest, Purradox was dozing, her paws kneading the air. Facing her in the opposite direction lay Tarminator, snoring away, making his own happy circle.</p><p>Ebony said quietly, “I think they’ve got the right idea.  How long till dinner?”</p><p>“Hour and a half-ish?”</p><p>“Well then. Hubcap time.”  She got to her feet, stretched her arms over her head and cracked her back. Pitchiner made a humming noise and half-sang, “You take the pug dog, and I’ll take the witch dog…”</p><p>“…and I’ll be in dreamland afore ye,” finished Ebony.  She crawled onto the bed and lay down behind Tarminator, while Pitchiner did the same on the opposite side so he could spoon Pitch.</p><p>A muzzy-headed theatre major opened his eyes at some point, took in the sight of the cuddle puddle he’d ended up in the middle of, and surrendered to his sleepy fate.</p>
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